[This text is machine generated and may contain errors.]

SERVING PRINCEVILLE TARBORO WILLIAMSTON
AND PITT COUNTY SINCE 1980

FREE

DEDICATED TO THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF .
AFRICAN AMERICANS
Feb. 2007 Issue

The Daily Reflector
Sunday, February 11, 2007.
The nomination form poses:

divorced African-American
woman who lives ina

a lack of personal funds be
the citizen of the year? ?

The answer is simple. Renee
Arrington has a seemingly
endless gpirit and passion
when it comes to helping her
community, especially its
children, Arrington, 54,°"
founder of the Little Willie
Center, was named citizen of
the year for 2006 during the
Greenville-Pitt County
Chamber of Commerce Ts
annual gala earlier this
month, Since starting the
program in 1990 to provide
safety, meals, tutoring and
mentoring for latchkey kids,
Arrington has been oa light
for people that need a little
extra hope, ? said Mike
Aldridge of Aldridge &
Southerland Realtors, one of
the center Ts many supporters
oShe has completely given
her life to it, ? Aldridge said.
oAnd when gry ask her,

- The
Greatest

READ |.
THE

facut. * And she does not
think about herself at all, ?
Touching as many lives as
she can with the gifts God
has given her has become her
ee Se life Ts mission, Arrington said,
imonth, Yue She calls it odepositing
te Ig blessings. ?

~ HRY oI feel like I'm going to the
grave empty, ? she said, oI Tm
going to empty everything .
out of me to somebody,
Whatever I can do, whatever
gifts or talents I have,

one question: oWhy should a !

donated apartment because of

eke biker ee a ee
somebody's going to get it.

ae
Willie

many, oie the Limit at 35,
Today, the center remains at
capacity with more wanting to

Mrs Arringt

At the age of 3, Jamal Nobles
already was a street-smart kid.
Most everyone on West Fifth
Street, now Martin Luther
King Jr. Drive, knew him as
oLittle Willie, ? |

He would pop into The
Raven, a restaurant owned by

~~ Arrington and her husband,

hungry but with no money.
Arrington made sure he didn Tt
leave with an empty belly,
Soon, more kids stopped by,
and Arrington fed them.
Convinced that there was an
even bigger community of
children in need, she closed
the restaurant, and the Little
Willie Center was bom.
Each afternoon, a two-

et in, . With siaistance from
the city of Greenville, a move
to St, Gabriel Ts Roman

Catholic Church and School

could be complete in March.
That could double the number
of children served but also
could double the budget.

oTo me, I Tm grateful that the
city of Greenville, their hearts
are turned to the Little Willie
Center, ? Arrington said.
oThat's what we prayed.

Every person, board,
volunteer, staff for this

program for years, we prayed

that God would pour this
~ center into the hearts and

minds of his people. God's
people are going to hear his
voice, and they Tre going to
as an amened what he says

A do, a fe
A That type of faith has kept the

center growing not only its
services but its base of
volunteers and financial .
supporters. Computers,
books, video games, movies
and playground equipment
await kids ages 3-17 who
come in weekdays from 2:30-
6:30 p.m. during the school
year and for summer camps
that include off-site activities.
Arrington emphasizes the
focus is on tutoring and
mentoring to develop the
whole person " not a baby-
sitting service.

oA child has a mind, ? she
said. oThey have a heart, they
have a spirit, they have a
body. ?

Bill Clark of Bill Clark
Homes in Greenville is
amazed by the impact

. Arrington has had on

countless families and calls
her othe closest thing to a
saint that I Tve ever seen. ?
oShe Ts taken these children
off the street, and she Ts given
them an opportunity to learn
some real values about life, ?
Clark said. oIt Ts a remarkable,
remarkable thing she Ts
doing. ?

Keeping the center going has
meant sacrifice. Arrington cut
a full-time schedule teaching
adult education at Pitt
Community College to 22
hours so she can spend
afternoons with the kids. She
teaches GED classes four
days a week at the Little
Willie Center, and PCC has
provided a second instructor.
The center offers 16
programs, including survival
skill classes, a big buddy
program, Girl Scouts and Boy
Scouts, 4-H Club, an
ensemble, praise ministry
dancers and Bible study. The
Little Willie Center operates
solely with volunteers " not
even Arrington draws a salary
~~ and receives its funding

through grants and private

N
~]
(oe)
W

«ange Crack Cocaine sentences set for =
review shown that since the In hate at age 19, » Belinda cumpkin was ter byte ss el in
' bra prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Her boyfriend, w
ManGsoy minamurns Were she had dated since she was 15, ran Detroit Ts largest crack ring,
instituted in the late 1980s, an organization that supplied half the city Ts crack houses and at
Blacks have been incarcerated its peak, prosecutors said, took in $3 millioii a day, Lumpkin says
By: j ames Wright far more than Whites whet her boyfriend threatened her family,when, she tried to leave him.
AFRO Staff Writer . ", 4 She was pregnant throughout her trial and gave birth in prison.
| ? convicted of possession of | President Clinton commuted hér sentencein January 2001. Now
| . cocaine in the form of crack. «she lives in Georgia and is working as a-forklift driver, a skill she
The chairman of the powerful 7 ovat ory minimums learned in prison.
House Judiciary Committee . sg
; ted to review the dictate to judges what length
8 or owe A a sentence should be in the
pleted con oC stam oe eee eta
oririties distribution of crack cocaine.
Rep. John Conyers (D- Mare- Mauer, the executive Dorothy Gaines, a mother with no criminal record, was
Mich.), who is the chairman director of The Sentencing convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in
The New Wells to leant ___ Project, said that the time for 1994 and sentenced to 20 years im prison. She let her
; of the Judiciary Committee ay of the senieacit boyfriend, a crack dealer, keep drugs in her Alabama
Chapel pgs for the 110th Congress,had ge cae home. He and other ring members, who testified against
told his colleagues that laws guidelines is right. oMost of Gaines her trial, received lesser sentences. President
. d the mandatory minimums Clinton commuted her sentence in 2000. Gaines now
shat give mancatcyy wete put in place in the 1980s. lives in Mobile and-has lobbied Congress to change the
minimum sentences to people - ' , T mandatory minimum laws.
who are convicted of drug- mys een ee | . | :
related crimes will be subject f.... - Conyers, along with the Conyers told the AFRO that
to oversight. Studies Someone can get a five or 10 Congressional Black Caucus have stated that this is esi earl
6 year prison term for crack but era saet erptvenl there will be hearings.on the
conducted by the American | and other organizations such _discriminatorytowards mandatory minimums, but
Civil Liberties Union and The * less for powder as the NAACP and the Blacks and should be one have bere acheduied
Sentencing Projecthave © x, National Bar Association, corrected. Aspokesmanfor

see cocaine pgl4

donations.

oShe Ts certainly dite u more
with whatever monéy she
operates on than any person,
organization or governmental
agency that I have ever seen
in my life, ? Clark said.

oThis woman has done as
much to deter crime and to
build character and to enrich
the lives of these kids more
than anything in the world,
She Ts done a remarkable job,
and she wants to do more.
The only constraint she has is
probably financing. ?

Parents do not pay for their
children to attend, but they
must work, seek employment
or attend school and also
volunteer at least two hours
per week at the center. .
Arrington says she Ts learned

@TTtause19
noa anoay euTt{[To1e)

ON

to orelease ? some of the daily "

duties and count on the
expertise of volunteers such
as Linda Robinson, an East
Carolina University professor
who has helped secure grants,
and volunteer coordinators
Melissa Austin and Melanie.
Milton. More than 1,500 »
volunteer hours were
documented in December "-
and partnerships have been
formed with local churches,
the chamber of commerce,
sororities, fraternities,
businesses, organizations, Pitt
County Schools, BCU and
PCC.
oPeople that come to the
Little Willie Center have to
have a passion for this, ?
Arrington said. oThey have to
love kids. Even if you have.to
tell them to sit down 25 times,
x00 "ve got-to love doing
hs

There are many success
stories, like Titus Wooten,
who graduated from J.H.
Rose High School and PCC,
and now volunteers at the
cente?,

And there Ts her own three

see Advocate pg7

Aaeaqty azsudocg

Phere

- ee + - ®
4 Pe

et camiamtb itera: uke nie ce oe

oe 4 ?,?
er

*°A SUPER ENDING FOR
THESUPER BOWL ?,
by GEORGE E. CURRY |
The Wilmington Journal

Tony Dungy has finally done
it. On Sunday, he became the
first African-American coach
to win a Super Bowl. As
everyone on this side of
Mars knows by now,
Dungy Ts Indianapolis Colts
defeated the Chicago Bears,
coached by Lovie Smith, a

. Dungy protégée.

Considering that no African-
American head coach had led

a team to the Super Bow!
- throughout its four decades

of existence. "most of them
without Blacks as head .
coaches " it was a story
worth following. It was
notable that both coaches,
this time around; were
African-Americans.

HAVE BEE

Minority Voice February 2 - 9, 2007 - pg2

However, all of the attention

on race ignores some
fundamental facts thatare
more important than the race

of pn
Both i Biey and Smith are

exceptionally smart tacticians.
They obviously know their
business. In addition, each
found success by breaking the
typical NFL coaching mold
and proved that nice guys can
finish first.
Unfortunately, only one coach

could win on sey 9 - i am |
happy i it was Dungy... |

Lovie Smith will evbiitsally
join the ranks of Super Bowl
winners, but on Sunday, it
was Dungy Ts turn and nothing
could be more fitting.

On Sunday, as in the previous _

playoff nail-biter against New
England, the Colts started in
the hole. After falling behind ,
21-6 against the Patriots,
Dungy persuaded his team
that they could win. oIt Ts our
time, ? he said, making
believers out of misbelievers,
oTony is-one calm customer,
no matter what the

_,

OPI

circumstance he has a way of

making you believe, ?

Quarterback Payton Manning
said later. oWe're stressed out,

and he Ts parading back and

forth telling us we Tre going to T

win. That rubs off on the
younger players, even the
older players. It made a
difference. ?

That Ts not the. only way
Dungy has made a difference.

We hear alot about the
coaching disciples of Bill"

~ Parcells and others.

Yet, Dungy Ts record and nose

for talent has to be one of the
best in the NFL.

It was Dungy, as head coach -

of Tampa Bay, who gave
Smith his first opportunity to
coach, And here they were "
teacher and pupil " facing «

~ each other on the sidelines,

En route to his Super Bowl
victory, Dungy had to defeat .
Herm Edwards, the Kansas
City Chiefs coach who had

been an assistant with him at

Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh hired
yet another Dungy pupil,

iy HOW MANY:
INNOCENT

AND EXECUTED? ?,

OUR VOICE, oHOW
MANY HAVE BEEN
INNOCENT AND
EXECUTED? ? T,

by EDITORIAL STAFF ©
The Wilmington Journal

If you read our provocative: .
front-page story on whether
the state of North Carolina
has ever executed an innocent

operson on death row, then

you Tre probably saying the
same thing we said after
putting the piece down - oOf

course it Ts happened: they just

don Tt want to admit it. ?

The reason, beyond just plain
old common sense, we Tre so
sure about it, is because of
what happened to Black men
in this state for the first part
of this century immediately
after 1898,

They were being lynched
unmereifully, just because
they were black.

So it doean't take the limited

common sense of a drunken
lacrosse player and his
buddies to figure out during
that same period, blacks were
being arrested on false
charges, tried and convicted
on those false charges, and
then executed, or lynched,
same thing, to send a stark
message that blacks who
didn Tt watch themselves and
know their place would get
more of the same.

After all, the state had plenty
of rope. }

So plenty of innocent people
were being executed in this
state almost 100 years ago.
There.can be no question.

And almost 100 year later,
tragic-yet-triumphant stories
like Darryl Hunt's in Winston
-Salem prove that all-white
juries, racist police and
prosecutors, and inadequate
defense counsel are still alive
and well when it comes to
convicting innocent people of

_ capital crimes,

We agree with Duke
University Law Professor
James Coleman that an effort
should be mounted to
officially determine not if, but
who was executed in this state
that was actually innocent of
all charges. Indeed, this could
be a job for the newly formed
NC Actual Innocence
Commission, While members
continue to consider the

oapplications of current death

row inmates, and well that
they should, a grant could
help fund a separate study of
those who have been put to
death.

Those that can be determined
and certified, their families
should be compensated by the
state, just as it makes
reparations to those innocent

persons pardoned by the

governor for 2 mes they did i

not commit.

The Innocence Commission |

was a first good step toward
truth.

Let this be the next; so that
we.learn from our mistakes,

and honestly fix our criminal

etd tusiee

Augie . Clark,
the daughter of Minister
William Clark of Ayd oWR
NCE

and Pastor Sandra Clark of
Greenville, NC preached her
inital sermon on February
04, 2007 at the Living
Waters"
Holy ©
Church.
Miss Clark
is a native
of Pitt
County.
She is a
1989

graduate of
DH Conley

ho

pot
Pitt
Commun-
ity College where she
obtained a degree in business
and early childhood. She is
also a graduate of New
Covenant Bible College

and Mt. Leo Church of
Christ Bible College in
McMinnville, TN.

Minis, Clark is the youngest
of 4 sisters and 3 brothers,
She is an active member

2

IO}

Mike Tomlin, to become its
head coach, Dungy Ts
influence isn Tt limited to
African-Americans. Another
assistant, Rod Marinelli is
now coach of the Detroit
Lions.

What a judge of talent. After

~ his coaching days are over,

teams should hold a bidding
war to acquire the services of
someone with such an eye for
spotting talent. In retrospect,
it is clear that in hiring those
Black assistants, Dungy was
looking at far more than their
skin color.

In his own quiet way, Dungy
demonstrated that as head _
coach, he wasn Tt afraid to hire
other talented African- |
Americans. Without that first
job from Dungy and others _
might still be waiting for their
re , just as Dungy did
for

N

oLovie Smith and I are not
only African-Americans, but
also Christian coaches
showing you can do it the
Lord Ts way, ? Dungy said at
the trophy ceremonies.

oof of Living Waters Holy Church

under the leadership of Pastor
Sandra Clark: She isa T |
member of the Boardof -
Trustees, the church :
psa ry sunday school
secretary and the Vice |
rae * aa Voices of

oMinis.
Clark is a
youth
motivational
speaker.
She has a
great

agape
love for

children, He/she is just busy, ?
Our youth are our future
kingdom builders, ? states
Minis, Clark ,

When she is hot ministering
she enjoys spending time with
her

Ericka Clark, reading which is
a essential part of her day and

spending time with special
friend Mr, BE, O, Barnes.

oh SUPER ENDIN GFOR THE SUPER BOWL ?,

oWe're more proud of that. ?

In all the euphoria over Dungy
and Smith, we shouldn Tt lose
our perspective. A report co-
authored by the late Johnnie
Cochran concluded in 2002
that the NFL had a odismal
record of minority hiring. ?
Approximately 70 percent of
the players in the NFL are
African-Americans. Yet, since
the NFL was formed in 1920,
more than 400 coaches have
been hired, according to the
report.

Of those, only. six were Black
~ five of them hired since
1989; only one Black has been
added since the report.

_And things are even worse at
the college level, the feeder

system for the NFL. Almost
half of Division 1-A players
are Black " 46 percent; five of
119 coaches were Black. -

One longtime complaint of
Black football coaches is that
in some areas, Blacks are no
better off now than they were
under segregation. In an
earlier era, Blacks had their
own oclassics ? and bowl

-were.cOmmon and larger-
_ than-life fixtures on the

In one sense, Tony Dungy

Erik D. Anderson
Licensed
Give me a.

ws Cy ia

pastonre Life and Casualty ompany
We specialize in seniors ?"?

05-B00t

games. Jake Gaither of _
Florida A&M., Grambling Ts
Eddie Robinson and John
Merritt of Tennessee State

sidelines; it was not
considered unusual when one
squared off against the
another.

And no one questioned
whether an African-American
had the smarts to play
quarterback or middle
linebacker. There were 11
slots on offense and defense
and none were allowed to n'g0
unfilled. .

and Lovie Smith showed .
White America what African-
Americans had known all
along: Blacks can perform
successfully at any level " if
provided the opportunity.
George E. Curry is editor-in-
chief of the NNPA News
Service and
BlackPressUSA.com: To
contact Curry or to book him
for a speaking engagement,
go to his Web site,
www.georgecurry.com.

Minority Voice Febrasry 2- 9, 2007 oe

COMMUNITY NEWS

oUniversity Trustees Board. . | plate and knife on right of rein snacks with no. The Editor:
* Judge Greg Mathis, TV. Giown men with successful _ plate during meal pauses exercise just means you are a
personality and activist careers do not wear braided © When meal is finished, place Fat. Being fat is not Watch your Alphabets; ~*
* Oprah Winfrey, the most _ styles. So go clean-cut both utensils together at 10 " "_healthly. Get it together and
_ indomitable media empress "_ look. Growing up means & 4 diagonal on plate with get in shape. sssentials
* Baruch Obama, US "§ "_ooking like you mean fork tongs down and knife Exercise, eat right, drink 8 Manhood:
Senator and Presidential ~ business. with cutting edge towards glasses of water, get 8 hours Character, Maturity,
Candidate. = Short hair, freshly cuthair you. of sleep, gotochurch, and Leadership
* Dr. Ben Carson, pediatric always looks neat with Now what to order. Check love somebody.
~ neurosurgeon at John business attire. out what everyone else Don Tt Even Go There. Three Words that Work
Hopkins Hospital, _ Know that growing up orders. Make-sure it isnot Processed hair; too curly, too Miracles:
ws am8 = §= "- Baltimore, MD., who led a* "_ means it may be time, so sloppy. Straight, too greasy, too Praise, Sincerity,
Mrs Beatrice Maye _ team of 60 doctors operating "_ lose the multi-colored Spaghetti and ribs are too blond, too dark, too many Encouragement, Reader Ts
a successfully on separately _stands, long sloppy, order something else. highlights. Digest, July 1991
To the Editor: Siamese twins. braids, beads, pony tails, Pass salt and pepper to the Tight clothes
a * Maya Angelou, a modern Afro puffs, cut-in designs, person next to you. Street slang, profanity Four keys to Fupire
February is the month that we day role model whose poetry "_ and long Jocks that are so Whoever invites you should Bad Manners
remind ourselves why we was heralded worldwide. _ popular. pay the bill. Long Nails with designs oFamily, Education, Values,
should know Black History, .* Shaquille O TNeal and the Your hair should help you to | Visible body piercing, & New Spirituality
embrace our culture, and be Miami Heat, 2006 NBA look your age. If youwear § Name Tags tattoos, or body hair.
proud of our culture; for, itis | Champions " hair accessories such as: Bright colored shoes, sock, Three P Ts for Success:
an irrefutable fact that the * Tavis Smiley, a headbands Wear name tags on the right stocking, jewelry ~ Preparation, Perservance, &
world would not be what it is | Motivational speaker and pony tails, you may look because the eye follows the .. Super thineyebrows Patience
today without the vast _ * Leonard Pitts, Jr., known younger. handshake to the gat Too much cologne "lessis .
significant contributions of for his fresh and passionate Curly, nappy, or kinky? shoulder. more Three D Ts To Be a Winner:
Black people. insights that-speak of Don Tt try a bone-straight Reach out and shake hands Body odors Desire, Determination, &
Let me remind and convince Ordinary people on divisive style because it makes no firmly. Bad breath Discipline
everyone- Black and White- _issus, who won the 2004 sense. Want to get along? Let Any hints of alcohol " . .
that no one should use the . Pulitzer Prize for. _ Hair is everything, makeno ~ people talk about themselves don Tt drive PERIOD Three Kinds of People in
oN-word ? in any form or commentary and stands out as mistakes about that. Outof "_Fitness....Get with the Plan. Cigars, cigarettes, smoke of the World:
fashion or for any reason ! an exemplary role model in control hair makes you look " Fit or just fat? Do youhave "_any type " don Tt smoke The Doers " few people
Historically, we know that Dr, _ the African community. out of control. Stayaway _ " t0 squeeze into your jeans? ~= " " PERIOD who make things happen
Carter G. Woodson started * The Rev. T. D. Jakes, from those nasty, dirty, Can other people see your What to wear? The Uninterested " they
Negro History. Week world-known preacher/ scrunches " if you want to rolls - Outfits should be sharp " have no idea of what is
in February 1926, andithas evangelist and author. look your best. through your clothes? Can "_not sexy happening
expanded to what we now : When your hair looks good, yourun laps around the track "_ With jewelry " less is better The On-Lookers " the
celebrate as Black History Black History can Tt be then you look good. without stopping? " Ladies wear one pair of many who watch things
Month. Dr. Woodson is contained by one month for it | Makeup... Wear it well. Quit eating up everything small earrings happen.
nationally known as oThe is made everyday. Less is more. Grown and push away from the and necklace. Guys should
Father of Black History ?. women look immature and table. Too many hot fries leave your earrings athome. (Join the ranks of the doers.)
Some current Blacks in Beatrice Maye incomplete without any for breakfast, Check out " read " No
History: makeup. onion rings, French fries, Mistakes: The African Four Characteristics of a
chocolate shakes, gyros, American Teen Guide to
* Velma Speight-Buford, a | Placement of Utensils. chicken wings, and sub Growing up Strong by Rubin Character, Intelligence,
Snow Hill, NC native, chair For: Teens, Especially "No °- sandwiches for Henry . Personality, & Beauty
, Mistake " Hair lunch, full meals for late- :

of NC A & T State

Suejette A. Jones

A Sin, a Stain, a Strut

(This condensed article was
written by Barry Saunders, a
humorist writer)

I quote: oAs that noted civil

Reflections

Place fork on left edge of -

lpia aes, FO oy
ies 2a eee
er ig aga "

rights activist, Trent Lott has
said many times in the past "
segregation was a sin, and a
stain, it wasn Tt all bad.
Contrary tocommon _
misperceptions, black life in
the segregated South was not
one of unrelenting misery ,
with us oh shuffling around
going, Oh, lawdy, we Ts bein T
segregated T. No sirree. We
lived, Jack,even as our leaders
battled to end segregation.
While some T current so-called
leaders would have us believe
that nothing has changed "
so they can keep a job and
remain revelant " the truth is
that conditions and
opportunities for most blacks
in the South have improved
beyond anything we could
have dreamed. I Tm not
romanticizing or trivializing
what was a dreadful period in
our history, so keep those
accusatory letters,

Just between us, though,
many black institutions
thrived during segregation ,
nd many w have new books,
but as Jesse Jackson asked.
(back when he was eyelant)
oWhat does itmatter = sl

have old or new books

being
forte by law toil in the
bere ga cd
having to fry up a
rath ag tn
tool sie not find a

restaurant that would serve.
you, We liked sitting in the

» balcony " but not

forced to " and nothing in

any restaurant that would
serve you:

We liked sitting in the
balcony " but not being
forced to " and nothing in

_ any restaurant has ever tasted

as good as my grandmother's
fried chicken on a piece of
light bread. We had a lot
of fun in a small Southern
town during the mid-to late

1960s, when ican segregation

wheezed its, last labored
breath. Sure, our school went
from first grade through 12th,
received less money per
student from the state than
all-white schools, and the
hand-me-down textbooks
were often obsolete by the
time we received them. But
we made do. When the
Christmas parade rolled
around, however ; we did
more than make'do: We
made up for all we'd been
denied,..Each year, the
marching band high-stepped
through downtown and just
tore up the place. I mean.
The Morrison Training
School Drill Team (all black

_except for one or two white

kids whose parents obviously

. didn Tt have the juice to keep

them out of the joint) owned

_ the parade with its precision

marching drills, But hool
band was a strong No. 2. The
school was blessed with two
drum majors, When the
one graduated, the band
never missed a step, Now , I
consider myself to be a .

dancing fool when I wantto

be, but both of those dudes
had more rhythm in their big
toe than I have in my whole

: However, the Buffalo Soldiers,

body.
Junior Walker, in his song
oWay Back Home ?, wrote :

There are good and bad
things |
about the South

And some leave a bitter taste
in my mouth.

Mine too, Junior. But some
bring a smile to my face. ?

_ Respectfully submitted,

Suejette A. Jones
CLOSING THE GAP

A century ago, Black folk
who migrated from southern
farms to cities often lived in
wretched
conditions. Our men were
denied decent jobs and
steered into menial labor.
Teenage girls were

lured to the big city with

bogus promises of work,
only to be forced into

prostitution, destitution and
itude )

servitude.
The National Urban League
was founded in 1910 to lead
the struggle for social and
economic opportunity for
urban Blacks, In the
nineteenth century, we shed
the shackles of slavery.
In the twentieth century, we
shipped Jim Crow
segregation in many realms
of American life. We won
the right to vote, the right to
eat and shop wherever we
wanted, the right to live and
attend school anywhere we
could afford

*

comprised of former slaves, freemen
and Black Civil War soldiers, were the
first to serve during peacetime.

In the century ahead, the
primary task facing our
nation is to transform
America Ts have-nots into
haves and

_ Close what we call the

opportunity gap. As
documented in The State of
Black America (the League Ts
annual publication), despite
the progress we Tve made,
African Americans continue
to traf! Whites in every

~ indicator that matters "

from academic achievement
to employment to home-
ownership rates. As a
blueprint for transforming
have-nots into haves, the
National Urban League _
advocates the following Ten
Opportunity

Commandments for the
twenty-first century;

1. Offer quality preschool
education to children whose
parents cannot afford it.

2. Provide affordable
health care for the more than
40 million Americans who

are uninsured.

3. Ensure that every
public school serving poor
children equip them to be
self-reliant .

4, Vastly increase support
for proven programs to get
the estimated 12 million
high - school drop outs
back on track.

5, Guarantee access to
affordable higher education.

6.. Implement national
economic policies that
promote high employment
and economic growth in
communities that have so far
missed out on the good

times.
7, Elimidate the odigital

divide ? by increasing free

public access to computers
and the Internet.

8. Ensure full
participation of African-
Americans and other people
of color in higher education,
employment and public and
private business contracting
Opportunities.

9, Eradicate the home-
ownership gap along ethnic
lines by making affordable
financing widely available
for credit worthy working
families of color.

10. Elimidate
iscriminatory business-loan
practices holding back
entrepreneurs of color.

We've come a great distance
since slave ships arrived on
these shores. After the
Emancipation Proclamation,
it took our people a century
and a half to make our eo
through a forest fraught with
darkness and danger. Today,
at the dawn of a new
ee we finally see the

as we begin our final leg of
the journey. Our goal is the

le pe Re

0 on ee

Pamper Yourself. . ,
ou Deserve It!
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T

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ay

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_ Post Office Box 36
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Telephone: (252) 787-3300
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